Arenado OK after getting plunked by Hamels, but hard feelings linger

Four players were hit by pitches in the Rockies’ 10-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field. But first things first.

Rockies all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado said he would be fine after being hit on the left forearm by a 90.5 mph fastball from left-hander Cole Hamels in the third inning. Arenado was removed from the game prior to the fifth inning with a contusion. Xrays showed no broken bones, but Arenado was in pain, and very worried, moments after getting drilled.

“The first, initial reaction when you get hit on the arms or hands is something scary,” said Arenado, who screamed at Hamels and the Cubs’ bench after getting plunked. “When I first got hit, it was on the meat (of the arm) and it was feeling OK. But it was throbbing and it got super tight. And sometimes when it gets super tight, quickly, you are afraid it might be a break.”

Arenado said he’ll see how he feels when he wakes up Thursday morning, but he hopes to be in the lineup when the Rockies host the San Diego Padres.

Hamels hitting Arenado was only part of series of hit batsmen and close shaves Wednesday, events sparked when Colorado rookie Peter Lambert hit Kris Bryant twice in Tuesday night’s game.

Here’s a recap:

• “We hit Bryant twice yesterday … so I kind of had the feeling it was going to happen,” said Arenado, adding that he expected that he would be the one to get hit. “I just thought (Hamel’s pitch) was high.”

• Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela, already trailing 5-0, buzzed Cubs shortstop Javier Baez leading off the third, sending Baez diving into the dirt to avoid getting hit.

• Hamels sailed a ball high and tight at Charlie Blackmon in the fifth, and Blackmon stared back at Hamels after brushing off the dirt.

• Rockies reliever Bryan Shaw hit Hamels on the right foot on a 2-1 pitch with two outs in the seventh with the Cubs leading 8-0.

• With two outs in the top of the eighth, Rockies rookie lefty Phillip Diehl drilled Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo on his right hip. Baez, next up, made a nonverbal statement by hitting a two-run, 460foot homer to left off Diehl.

“I would say he watched that one a little extra there, which is nice,” Rizzo said. “As a team, the whole team, you think something is intentional and you get them back like that, it feels a little better.”

• In the ninth, with the Cubs already leading 10-0 and warnings issued by home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz, Cubs right-hander Brad Brach hit Tony Wolters.

After the game, Wolters at first tried to hold his tongue, saying “both sides were pitching aggressive inside.” But when asked if he was surprised that Brach was not ejected, Wolters said: “I was definitely surprised, that’s for sure.”

The two teams are done playing each other during the regular season, but there is a chance they could meet in the postseason, as they did last year when the Rockies beat the Cubs 2-1 in 13 innings, in the National League wild-card game at Wrigley Field.

Said Arenado: “If we played them again, it would be a pretty spicy series.”